For the Classroom

A Circle for Spring

 Laura Donkel

With today’s child, I believe it is of utmost importance Laura Donkel has been an early childhood teacher
to fully move in the morning circle. How else can one at the Chicago Waldorf School for the past twelve
find one’s limbs and feel one’s muscles and joints and years. She is also an Arcturus Rudolf Steiner Education
experience the wonderful curves and lines that make faculty member. This fall she will be on sabbatical and
up the body? can be reached at [email protected].
Science, math, and literacy—the foundational stud-
ies that many parents are seeking for their child—are
all found in morning circle. As early childhood edu-
***
NOTE: This circle needs a bit of set-up before begin-
cators, it is paramount that we embrace this delight- ning. You will need a green cotton play cloth suspend-
ful time of structured movement, of exploration and ed between two child-sized wooden chairs. I used play
self-discovery. Hopping in the linear vertical plane, a clips to hold the cloth in place. Drape it like a bridge for
child faces gravity; rolling around on the ground, the you and the children to crawl under. I set it up about
child massages the vestibular system and experienc- two feet from where we do our morning circle.
es her own sensory self in connection with the earth;
crawling on the floor and then going into a standing
position, a child feels the horizontal shift to upright-
ness and experiences the adjustment. This delicate bal-
ance of back and forth, up and down, in and out, reso-
nates throughout the day. The breath is called to task.
Finding one’s way back to circle in relation to the
whole class gives an experience of point and periph-
ery—geometry. And then come the words: articulat-
ed clearly, balancing vowels with consonants. Poetry.
Song. Verse. Language. And finally, the spiritual realm:
we enter together into this magical place called circle,
inviting each and every child to imbue the healthy
imagination. In harmony with the seasons, we speak
with reverence to the child’s oneness with nature. All
in a simple circle.
Beginning the day with intentional movement is a
real gift to the child—and indeed, it also awakens and
refines our own sensorial make-up. Enjoy.
This circle includes Mother Goose rhymes, songs
and poems passed down from teachers and friends
as well as verses from Spindrift and Spring from the
Wynstones series. My daughter, Annie, taught me the
Spring Birdies’ Ball, which she learned when she was
•
six years old. It’s a favorite of both of ours.

Drawing by Jo Valens from Tell Me a Story

Spring 2013  21
 Spring Circle
Can you catch a rabbit with ears so very long? Standing on both feet, hold arms straight up over head,
hands bent at wrists to mimic floppy bunny ears

He’ll hop and hop and hop about on legs so very strong. Begin hopping around the circle, arms up over head
He’ll nibble, nibble carrots for dinner every day Stop and bend knees, bring fisted hands by your
mouth and pretend to munch across knuckles
And when he’s had just enough he’ll scamper off away. Return to rabbit position and hop some more

Repeat above section. Then, in standing position, keep

arms above head from previous verse. Now bend legs
down while your arms are up. When you straighten
your legs bring your arms down so that your hands are
about shoulder height. The movement mimics how a
A caterpillar climbed to the top of a tree caterpillar crawls.

I think I’ll take a nap said he. Crawl on ground around in circle and then under a
Under a leaf he began to creep. green play cloth suspended between two chairs

Sing: About the musical notation:

E´ D´ B E´ D´ B E´ D´ B-A G G B D´ C, D, E and so on represent middle C and the
I’m creeping, I’m creeping, I’m creeping under a leaf. notes in the octave just above. C´, D´, E´
etc. are notes in the next octave above that.
E´ D´ B E´ D´ B E´ D´B A G B D Songs may be sung in a free rhythm, one
I’m creeping, I’m creeping and soon I will go to sleep. note per syllable, unless indicated otherwise.

He spun a silk bed and fell fast asleep. Crawl under the green cloth, do a log roll across the
room and then crawl back to the circle and sit with
head down and arms wrapped around bent knees.

Springtime came tiptoeing over the lea Optional: tiptoeing around in a circle once. I prefer to
And found caterpillar sleeping so peacefully stay in the chrysalis imagination.

Wake up, wake up, wake up sleepyhead. Begin to knock on the floor with one hand
Wake up, wake up, it’s time to get out of bed.

The caterpillar woke up that fine springtime day Slowly uncurl from position, stand up, stretch arms
And saw he was a butterfly. Off he flew away. and begin to move like a butterfly

Sing (song adapted from L. Henning):

D´B D´E´ D´ B D´ B A B E´ D´ B
Lovely little butterfly, flying high, butterfly. Moving arms forward and backward like a butterfly,
dip up and down and circle around the room as you
B A G E D E G-A sing.
Spread your painted wings so fair,

B A G E D E G-A
Blossoms sailing through the air

D´B D´E´ D´ B D´ B A B E´ D´ B
Lovely little butterfly, flying high butterfly.

22  Gateways Issue 64
He flew to the woods and with his ears did hear sing Return to circle and come to a stance with one hand
The fairies gathered around in their fairy ring. to the ear as though listening.
This is the fairies’ washing day. Go on tummy, legs straight behind, resting on elbows
and forearms with palms face down on ground.

With acorn caps for wash tubs Connect pointer finger with thumb, one hand at a time.
And tiny leaves for wash boards Connect middle finger with thumb one hand at a time.
Each fairy scrubs and scrubs Rub first two fingers of right hand upon first two fin-
Their tiny sheets so fine and clean. gers on left hand then switch (palms facing)

Upon the grass they’re lying. Rub floor with palms while staying on tummy and
keeping legs straight and still

A spider weaves a little line to hang their clothes for First finger on one hand touches thumb on oth-
drying. er hand, then first finger on other hand reaches for
thumb of other hand and so on climbing upward.
Sing to traditional tune:
The itsy bitsy spider went up the waterspout Repeat hands climbing gesture
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sun Stand on knees and lift arms above head to form circle
And washed away the rain Cross arms in front and out
And the itsy, bitsy spider went up the spout again. Resume finger movement as above

The great, big hairy spider went up the waterspout Stand up, arms straight out to the sides. Reach out-
stretched right hand to touch left sole then return to
position. Repeat with left outstretched arm touching
hand to right foot sole.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Lift arms above head and gesture rain pouring to
knees and clap hands to knees.
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain. Standing gesture arms above head round like the sun

And the great big hairy spider crawled up the spout Repeat outstretched arms to midline crossing and
again. touch opposite foot or do back crawl around in circle

And who has come this fine spring day? Standing in circle, link your thumbs together, fingers
Why, butterfly’s friend, Larky Lee, and here’s what she spread apart gesturing from right hip across midline
has to say. to above head and then repeat gesturing from left
hip across midline to above head.

Larky, larky, larky lee

Who will fly up to heaven with me?
Never a lad who lies in bed Gesture a sleeping head on hands
Or a sulky girl who hangs her head. Bend head down at neck and swing head left to right
Up into the air go we, tahee, tahee, tahee. Repeat linking thumbs up in air

What does Larky have in her beak? Hands together palm to palm
An invite for birds, butterflies and bees Open palms up and reach out
An invite for everyone, one and all Hold hands with partners on right and left side and
To the Birdies’ Springtime Ball. wait for teacher to pair up children

Spring 2013  23
 Children dance either together in a ring or with one
partner, skipping around together to “tra la la” sec-
tions. Gestures for each verse invite large and small
movements, up and down movements and side-to-
Sing: side gestures always ending in the skipping dance
D´ G´ D´ D´ D´ D´ E´ B B
The spring bird said to the nightingale Bow to the right and then left.
B A A D D G G G
We need to give the birds a ball Large eurythmy “bah” and small “bah”
D´ G´ D´ D´ D´ E´ B B
So birdies great and birdies small Standing up make gesture of beak with straight arms,
A A D´ D´D´ G G G G then scoot low and make beak with hands
All must come to the little bird’s ball Stand up and face partner holding hands to
D´ D´G´G´E´B B B A A B B G dance around
Tra la la la la la la la. Tra la la la la.
D´ D´G´G´E´B B B A A B B G
Tra la la la la la la la. Tra la la la la. Repeat same tune for next two verses

The wren and the cuckoo danced with delight Partners hold hands
The raven stood by the yellow bird’s side. Partners stand close beside each other
The awkward owl and the bashful jay. Put right palm on right cheek, then left palm on left
Bid each other a very fine day. cheek
Tra la la la la la la la. Tra la la la la.
Tra la la la la la la la. Tra la la la la.

They danced and they sang Return to circle, make round gesture above head
Till the sun went low Move round circle from above head to below
The mother birds then prepared to go Gesture arms like wings
And birdies great and birdies small Make large then small beak with arms and hands
All flew home to the little bird’s ball. Fly together in circle
Tra la la la la la la la. Tra la la la la. End with partner dance
Tra la la la la la la la. Tral la la la la.

And off they flew to the meadow to sleep Fly to ground and fold wings around front
Near the shepherd who cares for his dear little sheep
And the birds and the butteflies joined in for a rest Come to a sitting position to rest with palms together
Huddled and cuddled in their cozy little nests. and head leaning against side of closed palms

Sing:
DG G E D G G E
Little boy blue, come blow your horn,
D D G A B A G B A G D´
The sheep’s in the meadow, the cow’s in the corn.
D G G E D G G E
Where is the boy who tends the sheep?
D D G B D´-B G E-A B G Children might lie down on their tummies and rest or
He’s under the haystack fast asleep. rest in a sitting position. Both are lovely.

24  Gateways Issue 64